The government has overruled the Overseas Investment Office and turned down a bid to buy Lochinver Station. It’s the first time a bid for a significant landholding has been rejected since 2012.
Written By:
IrishBill -
Date published:
10:59 am, December 18th, 2008 - 20 comments
Bill English has stopped the sale of BlueScope’s Taharoa ironsands business to a Chinese investor based on the fact that it won’t bring any value to New Zealand. Good on him. If we aren’t going to profit from investment then why should we allow it? Of course there is the small issue of hypocrisy given […]
Statistics New Zealand is planning to track everyone through their cellphones "for statistical purposes":Stats NZ is partnering with cellphone companies to launch a new way of tracking people's movements every hour. The population density programme will launch next month and ...
Reaching Out For The Zeitgeist: Act Leader, David Seymour, and his neoliberal colleagues, have (perhaps unconsciously) grasped the multiple political implications of declaring ACT to be the “freedom party”. What they clearly have not grasped, however, is the fundamental incompatibility ...
Another major oil company has given up exploring in New Zealand: Chevron and Norwegian oil giant Equinor have opted to abandon their joint exploration efforts off the east coast of the North Island. The two firms have applied to surrender ...
When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hired a lobbyist to set up her government in 2017, she assured us that everything was above board and any conflicts of interest would be managed. She lied:The lobbyist who served as the prime minister’s ...
NZ has dethroned GDP as a measure of success, but will Ardern’s government be transformational? When you’re in politics, words are a high-stakes game. Voters and journalists hold you to them and there is a risk in using ...
A note of appreciation and a changing of the guardFor the past over eight years Skeptical Science staff volunteer Ari Jokimäki has produced a weekly list of links to recent academic publications concerning the fundamental science of climate change, global ...
The article below first appeared in the April 7, 1978 issue of the fortnightly left-wing workers’ paper Socialist Action. The article is referred to in Maire Leadbeater’s new book on NZ and West Papua – we’ll be reviewing the book ...
If humanity is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid making the Earth uninhabitable, we need to stop burning fossil fuels. Transport is a key emitter, so this means we need to stop using fossil fuelled vehicles. A number of ...
The government's Operation Burnham whitewash has become a farce, with the SAS's victims refusing to participate any further:Afghani villagers are turning their backs on a Government inquiry into allegations six civilians were killed and a further 15 injured in a ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The world’s oceans are deeply affected by climate change – and vice versa. But until recent years, ocean advocates throughout California had long tackled issues like over-fishing ...
There’s so much one could say about Key’s assessment of Hisco right now… Suffice to say it was definitely the following: A) Perfectly reflective of the ...
New Zealand's spy agencies are supposedly subject to the rigorous oversight of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, an independent watchdog appointed to keep an eye on them and ensure they don't break the law again. But that watchdog depends ...
. . This morning, a little after 4am, Sharlene lost her brave fight against cancer. Rest in peace, Sharlene. You were always one of my brightest stars… . . Advertisements ...
Just Following Orders: None of the awfulness associated with Family Court "Uplift" orders exposed by Melanie Reid and Newsroom would be possible without the active assistance and institutional protection afforded to Oranga Tamariki by the nation’s DHBs. These latter, through ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 9 through Sat, June 15, 2019 Editor's Pick Costa Rica Doubled Its Forest Cover In Just 30 Years! Costa ...
Conflicting Messages: With so few publicly available opinion polls being conducted in this country, we really do need to know how one reputable polling agency can put National on 46 percent, while the other puts it on 37 percent. Nine ...
The End Of Civilisation: Despairing of the major powers ever agreeing to take the steps necessary to slow global warming, The Daily Blog Editor, Martyn Bradbury, has drawn up what amounts to a survivalist agenda for New Zealand. Quite rightly, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeffrey Kiehl Life makes us wake up to needed changes. A visit to the doctor’s office and accompanied tests indicate you have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Your doctor indicates two pathways to ...
New Zealand needs to decarbonise its electricity supply, while also increasing it to cope with the extra demand from electric vehicles. Wind energy is an obvious solution for this: we have an excellent wind resource, and its cheaper than fossil ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh The coca issue has gained a new lease of life in Duque’s Colombia, although to be truthful it never really lost its importance to the state. Trump’s scolding of Duque for not doing enough to halt ...
Director-General of OPCW Fernando Arias Gonzales admits Douma engineers report was legit and he was part of the FFM – but attempts to justify suppression of the report. France 24 reports that the head of the Organisation for the ...
When teachers demanded more time and more money to do their jobs, Education Minister Chris Hipkins was adamant: there was no more money and they should expect disappointment. No, after a joint strike and facing five weeks of rolling stoppages, ...
Ecuador's Constitutional Court has legalised same-sex marriage:Ecuador's highest court has approved same-sex marriage in a landmark ruling in the traditionally Catholic country. The vote at the nine-member Constitutional Court came as they ruled on the lawsuits by two same-sex couples ...
Arundhati Roy is speaking at the Auckland Writers Festival on July 17. In this interview in The Guardian Roy discusses her writing and political activism. Gary Younge: One of the things I’m intrigued by at this moment is the way ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Daisy Dunne The record-breaking 2018 summer heatwave in Japan in which more than 1,000 people died “could not have happened without human-induced global warming”, a study finds. And the extreme heat felt in ...
I've had a bit to say of late about YouTube, its algorithms and the escalating allure of certain facile "creators" to young men. I worry about this stuff. But I think it's also important to acknowledge that the alt-lite and ...
OMV's application for resource consent for drilling offshore exploration wells has highlighted a major flaw in our environmental legislation. Climate change, caused by greenhouse gas emissions, is our most pressing environmental threat. But the EPA, which is deciding the application, ...
I saw an interesting article from FOIMan - a UK-based fredom of information site - on the subject of agencies googling requesters. This is apparently a common practice, but their short advice is "don't": its not just creepy and intimidating, ...
The article below is part of our ‘From the Vaults’ series and first appeared in the fortnightly left-wing NZ paper, Socialist Action, February 10, 1978. We hope to be expanding our Pacific coverage in future. The Republic of Vanuatu came ...
There are a number of ways of reading Sarah Gaitanos’s biography Shirley Smith: An Examined Life. In my view – I knew Shirley a little – she would want to you to read it as her struggle to be recognised, ...
Multiple motivations are behind my various attempts to reduce involvement in online life. The preciousness of time is a big one. The pointlessness of digital feuds is another. The inevitable temptation to meanness is a third.read more ...
Botswana's High Court has ruled that colonial laws outlawing homosexuality are unconstitutional:High court judges in Botswana have ruled that laws criminalising same-sex relations are unconstitutional and should be struck down, in a major victory for gay rights campaigners in Africa. ...
by Don Franks In his June 8th piece “Jacinda Ardern looks unbeatable” journalist Martin van Beynen appeared unbeatable himself – at fawning praise. This week I was reading about John F Kennedy, the American president assassinated in 1963, and saw ...
I am fortunate enough to be a citizen of three countries – New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland – which gives me the right to live in all three places. So, let’s imagine I am a very bad person. ...
We see regular stories from farmers and orchards complaining that no-one wants to work long hours in terrible conditions for poor pay in their shitty industry. And now, its fishers. But in the process, they neatly explain why:"It's a hard ...
New Zealand's largest city has just declared a climate emergency. And its not just a symbolic move:While the declaration is largely symbolic, it signals the start of a more urgent and focussed approach by councillors to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Josh Gabbatiss Political lobbying in the US that helped block the progress of proposed climate regulation a decade ago led to a social cost of $60bn, according to a new study. Environmental economists Dr ...
The Wellbeing Budget opens with, “What is wellbeing?”, a question that has been widely posed and little understood. Treasury says “Wellbeing is when people are able to lead fulfilling lives with purpose, balance and meaning to them.” Long-term challenges facing ...
Who would have thought that so many different groups of public sector workers would have discovered at roughly the same time that they have been underpaid and under-resourced to such an extent? No one doubts that teachers of different kinds ...
by Don Franks Rocket Man is a glitzy spectacle, scooping up on the extravagant showmanship side of Elton John. Two hours of energy and flair. The relentlessly full on song and dance sequences mostly work, especially the fantasy sequence where ...
When National gutted the ETS in 2009, one of the ways they did it was to hand out huge subsidies to big polluters. Now the climate crisis is here, but the polluters want their subsidies to continue:The latest climate pleaders ...
School board of trustees elections were held last week. Unfortunately, NZ Post seems to have sabotaged them:Voting in the triennial elections for most school boards closed at noon on Friday, June 7. But Ponsonby Primary School principal Dr Anne Malcolm ...
Second Time Lucky? Perhaps it was the abject failure of his Destiny NZ Party (2003-2007) which lay behind Brian’s clumsy attempt to relaunch his “brand” by having "Coalition NZ" reach out to those he had so trenchantly attacked in the ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 2 through Sat, June 8, 2019 Editor's Pick White House Tried to Stop Climate Science Testimony, Documents Show Rod ...
Since March 30 2018 Palestinians have protested along the fenced border with Israel calling for a return to the lands they were expelled from in 1948. Israel maintains direct external control over the territory’s air and maritime space, most of ...
I was interviewed as part of an Al Jazeera documentary on the aftermath of the March 15 terrorist attacks in Christchurch. The program is well worth watching because it addresses subjects that most of the NZ media do not want ...
Our fishing industry is pervasively criminal, with widespread under-reporting, dumping, and other illegal behaviour. The most effective way of stopping this crime is to put cameras on fishing boats to watch catches as they are brought aboard, enabling under-reporting, dumping ...
One of the core ideas underlying the Zero Carbon Act is the idea of policy durability: that in order to be effective, climate change policy has to survive multiple changes of government. As a result, the Bill has been watered ...
Saving What We Could: Had the United States and the British Empire not intervened in June 1944, it is almost a certainty that the Red Army would have rolled on all the way to the English Channel. That was not ...
On the Friday morning previous to Budget Thursday, the Prime Minister gave what amounted to a pre-budget speech. It was not welcomed by the listeners, even though most New Zealanders may have found it promising But the audience was from ...
New Zealand is currently in the process of enacting legislation to set us on a pathway to carbon neutrality (except for cows) by 2050. Meanwhile, Chile - not a country we think of as being especially rich - is going ...
How bad is the threat of climate change? Existential risk to civilisation bad:A new climate report co-authored by a former fossil fuel executive has painted a bleak outlook for the future of human civilisation - including nuclear war. Existential climate-related ...
How are people reducing their ecological impact to deal with climate change? In Sweden, they're giving up flying:The number of Swedes taking the train for domestic journeys has risen as plane journeys inside the country have fallen, reflecting rapidly growing ...
The Labour Party has always been an uncomfortable alliance between those on the one hand who are content to seek a politics that declines to accept the infallibility of market-driven outcomes and accordingly seeks to achieve greater social justice within ...
“Keep things as they are,” is always the catch-cry of those who are happy with their lot. “Change is a waste of time” makes sense to those who are doing well and see no reason to disturb their privileged existence. ...
Last month, when the government released its Zero Carbon Bill, I highlighted how it contained an odious expansion of secrecy which throw a veil over practically all decisions made by the Independent Climate Change Commission. I wanted to see how ...
National leader Simon Bridges laid it on pretty think last week when he did his big reveal and showed that the supposed 'hack' of the Treasury website and early release of some Budget information nothing more than some Google searches ...
So, the “Wellbeing Budget” that the New Zealand Government signaled would be a marked shift in the priorities of the country under this Coalition Government has finally come out. What did it tick? What did it steer away from?If ...
Last year, Australian journalist Annika Smethurst broke the news that the government was plotting to allow the Australian Signals Directorate - their equivalent of the GCSB - to spy on Australian citizens and hack their computers. The plans were shelved ...
Inland Revenue is to gain greater oversight of land transfer information to ensure those buying and selling properties are complying with tax rules on property speculation. Cabinet has agreed to implement recommendation 99 of the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) final ...
The Government is taking action to expand and strengthen the protection for Māui and Hector’s dolphins with an updated plan to deal with threats to these native marine mammals. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Minister of Fisheries Stuart Nash ...
Commercial fishing vessels at greatest risk of encountering the rare Māui dolphin will be required to operate with on-board cameras from 1 November, as the next step to strengthen our fisheries management system. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Fisheries Minister ...
A new record for the number of Police officers deployed to the regions in a single year has been created with the graduation today of Recruit Wing 326. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation of 78 new constables means ...
New Zealand is pushing on with efforts to ensure multinational companies pay their fair share of tax, with the release of proposed options for a digital services tax (DST). In February Cabinet agreed to consult the public on the problem ...
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) welcomes the announcement by the Ombudsman to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children’s practices and processes when removing new born children under court ...
A Research and Evaluation Team from the Ministry of Justice have just issued what they euphemistically call an ‘Evidence Based brief’ on New Zealands’ Three Strikes Law. ...
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier is conducting his own wide-ranging and independent investigation into the steps Oranga Tamariki takes when newborn babies are removed. ...
Unite Union is asking for Restaurant Brands to pay annual leave entitlements back further than they have agreed to do with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Enterprise. ...
Across New Zealand this week, Caritas is marking the National Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants on Sunday, 23 June, the day is set aside each year to fall as close as possible to the internationally celebrated World Refugee ...
Wednesday, June 19: Oil majors Chevron and Equinor have abandoned their oil and gas exploration permits off the east coast of the North Island, leaving Austrian oil company OMV as the last remaining oil giant in New Zealand. ...
On 27 June, Extinction Rebellion Queenstown Lakes will present a deputation to QLDC requesting it declares a "Climate and Ecological Emergency". The council would be following the lead of more than 600 elected bodies representing some 74 million people ...
A series of short videos featuring local and international euthanasia experts will be released across the #DefendNZ social media channels on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram from today. They are being released in the lead up to the likely Second ...
New Zealand Police want to help prevent your loved ones falling victim to scams – and we need you to spread the word with your friends and families. ...
In Te Ao Māori, the child is born of its parents, but belongs to the entire whānau. They are a taonga, someone to be celebrated and supported into their adulthood, where they can continue to contribute to their whānau, hapū ...
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle is welcoming yesterday’s announcement of the Farm Debt Mediation Bill as an example of an initiative that will mean a lot to farmers who may be feeling financial pressure. ...
Christine Rose, Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection says: “The New Zealand Ministers for Conservation and Fisheries today (11/06/19) launched the long awaited Threat Management Plan (TMP) for Māui and Hector’s dolphins. But the consultation ...
On Thursday 13 June, Waimakariri Labour Electrorate Committee (LEC) hosted Dr David Clark, Health Minister for an update on the Governents progress on mental health support for the people of North Canterbury. ...
The Human Rights Foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand says the withdrawal of the villagers of Naik and Khak Khudday Dad from the Operation Burnham Inquiry is a sad indictment of the way the Inquiry has been conducted. The lawyers for ...
ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa said the abortion statistics released today by Stats NZ show little change in the general abortion numbers, but point to opportunities for improvement in health care if abortion law reform passes. ...
OSOF welcomes the public consultation of the Threat Management Plan Review for protecting Hector’s and Māui dolphins from fishing-related and other threats. ...
“Recent changes in Government Overseas Development Assistance ODA and its support of New Zealand International NGO’s is of concern” says Rotary’s Stuart Batty. Prior to past Foreign Affairs Minister Murry McCully taking office, about eight of ...
The International Whaling Commission is calling on the government to stop commercial fishing with set nets and trawling in the range of Maui dolphins. ...
New parent advocacy group Whanau First is calling for the Government to start looking seriously at the cause of the issues which have led to the crisis over state separation of children from their families. ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an off-duty officer unnecessarily involved himself in a dispute between his friend, Mr V, and the friend's former partner, Ms S, in Christchurch in November 2015. When the dispute escalated, the officer ...
Fisheries New Zealand wants public feedback on proposals to change catch limits for 20 fish stocks around the country. The proposals are part of a rolling set of annual reviews to ensure sustainability for current and future generations, says Fisheries ...
Attempts to improve safety by banning the import of older vehicles may actually keep older vehicles on the road longer, says the car review website dogandlemon.com. ...
The government’s proposals to protect Maui and Hector’s dolphin are far too weak, are over- complicated, and do not include proposals for dolphin protection to the 100m countour that have been endorsed by many including international organisations, ...
"Self-appointed Bishop and prosperity-gospel confidence trickster of the poor and vulnerable, Brian Tamaki is using anti-Muslim racism to gain a political profile," says Sina Brown-Davis spokesperson for Tāmaki Anti Fascist Action (TAFA). ...
Open Letter to Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern Re: Urgent need for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand Family Court and Oranga Tamariki We are writing on behalf of the women and children of New Zealand in ...
The Health Committee is seeking submissions on the Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Bill. The bill aims to address historical inequalities and ensure support workers receive fair pay. It seeks to do this by clearly defining the role of ...
Judith Collins talks to Jack Tame about what National would do about our housing affordability problem. It’s her first big interview since she took the lead over Simon Bridges in our preferred Prime Minister poll. ...
It's the even bigger inconvenient truth! Eating meat is killing our planet! Although Kiwis have reduced their red meat intake over the last 10 years, dropping from 85 to 72kg, p.a, it's still way above new world health guidelines which ...
New Zealand Maori Council calls Hobson’s Pledges claims that they would accept an invitation for a hui LIES – after the organisation declines mediation over Human Rights Commission complaint. ...
In early May 2019, and partly as a result of the accelerating impacts of climate change, a loose association of independent analysts determined that there was a need to highlight what we perceive to be significant national security risks and ...
“It’s time for change… The founder and Executive Chairman of NEW NZ, David Moffett, announced today that Marc Alexander has been appointed as the Leader of the party. ...
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is sending a strong message to tourism operators that they must comply with the law when operating on public conservation land. ...
Monday, 17 June: Greenpeace is calling the Government’s latest proposal to save Māui and Hector’s dolphins a "pathway to extinction for the world’s rarest dolphin species". ...
Family First NZ is repeating its call for a fully independent watchdog for Oranga Tamariki. Family First has been calling for such a watchdog since 2011, including 2018 , 2017 , 2015 , 2013 , 2012 , 2011 , and ...
This is a complex document and we need time to consider its implications. The industry is concerned about dolphin protection and has worked hard to minimise risk, with demonstrable success. We are also concerned about the wellbeing of our members. ...
"New Zealand has a clear choice to make. We can change the way we do things and save Maui dolphins, or we can be the generation that allows them to go extinct," Forest & Bird says of DOC and MPI’s ...
The Children’s Commissioner has announced that his Office will be carrying out a thematic review of Oranga Tamariki’s policies, processes and practice relating to care and protection issues for tamariki Māori aged 0-3 months. ...
The Building Act and Building Code need radical and urgent reform to make them fit for purpose to tackle New Zealand’s housing crisis, says Auckland Mayor Phil Goff. ...
The ACT Party’s 17.5 percent flat tax policy would cause an economic boom and finally bring New Zealand into line with our international competitors' corporate tax rates, says the Taxpayers’ Union . ...
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII) leaders are pleased to have met today with Ministers Martin, Davis and Mahuta to find solutions to the incident that occurred on the 1st May 2019. Minister Martin has agreed to conduct an inquiry into ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Third Oranga Tamariki inquiry announced, Herald highlights iniquities in health sector, and significant new claims around Operation Burnham.A third inquiry into Oranga Tamariki has been announced, and this one looks like ...
Christopher Luxon may want to emulate John Key's path to the National Party leadership and the ninth floor of the Beehive. Bernard Hickey argues he will have to be careful to avoid copying Don Brash instead. ...
A mortar and pestle, a pair of scissors and a cooking pot are among the objects Cambodian refugees have kept with them since resettling in New Zealand.Kim Hak grew up in Cambodia just after the fall of the Khmer Rouge ...
We’ve heard a great deal about the Kiwi response to the Christchurch terror attack but less from inside the event. Historian Ann Beaglehole considers how we support victims to ensure the history is written from their perspectives.When outside forces attack, ...
It is going to be a long journey to rebuild communities where people feel safe after the Christchurch terror attack. But if we commit to working together, it’s possible, former refugee Dennis Maang writes on World Refugee Day. Following the ...
Wahida Zahedi’s love for Christchurch began with a postcard of the Port Hills, sent from almost 14,700km away. This World Refugee Day, she shares her journey from Afghanistan to her new home.Christchurch. How can I describe this magical city? The ...
John Key insisted that the CEO of the bank had been treated in the same way a junior teller would be. Can anyone take that seriously, asks Cat MacLennanWhen I was a lawyer at Manukau, we used to sit in ...
The Detail today looks at belated government action on the Fox River rubbish dump disaster, where three months after the storm, the clean up job is still nowhere near done. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Navjot Bhullar, Associate Professor – Faculty of Medicine and Health; School of Psychology, University of New England You might have noticed that being in nature can improve your mood. Whether it’s walking ...
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Driver, a game whose innovations pioneered some of gaming’s biggest present-day trends. Sam Brooks takes a look at the groundbreaking game’s launch – and the series’ unfortunate decline.The year is 1999. The first Super Smash ...
Farmland is not being gobbled up by forestry, and tree planting is moving the pendulum back after years of deforestation, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. ...
Last week the Ministry for Children’s practices around uplifting children and putting them in state care were exposed in a harrowing investigation by journalist Melanie Reid. It’s no coincidence Māori are disproportionately targetted, writes Tina Ngata.If you venture into the ...
Waiheke Island’s favourite four-legged activist may soon be taking a road trip to protest the plans for a floating marina at Kennedy Point. Alice Burton reports.Sue Pawley and her sheep Multi have been an unstoppable force ever since the battle ...
Women are told that their artistic life ends when motherhood starts. But Anna Knox knows that isn’t the case.I was living in Saudi, trying to finish a novel I had started on the UEA (University of East Anglia) Creative Writing ...
IRD is contacting investors to correct their tax rate after an estimated $42 million was overpaid by around 950,000 New Zealanders in the 2019 tax year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University When unveiling government data revealing Australia’s rising greenhouse emissions, federal energy minister Angus Taylor sought ...
The sudden departure of ANZ CEO David Hisco this week has been sold as the bank having high standards of accountability. The intention is obviously to reassure the public, customers, shareholders, regulators and the politicians that all is well, and ...
Other suburbs have their appeal, but one rises above them all. Hayden Donnell argues Mt Albert is the best place to live in Auckland.First, a terrible confession: I grew up on Auckland’s North Shore. For most of my life, all ...
So thick, so luscious, so versatile. Yes, it’s strained yoghurt, but readers, it’s so much more.Something wonderful happens when you put a sieve of yoghurt over a bowl and sit back and wait. Don’t hurry it: the more patient you ...
AliExpo 2019 proved New Zealand’s ‘clean, green’ image remains as strong as ever, reports Jihee Junn. At Alibaba’s e-commerce expo on Friday, ‘brand New Zealand’ was at its sales-pitch best.There were face masks, eye masks, hand creams and serums made ...
The scale of departing ANZ NZ CEO David Hisco’s public humiliation by his employer doesn’t fit the crime he’s said to have committed, Gareth Vaughan of interest.co.nz argues.ANZ New Zealand’s town square disgracing of David Hisco, its CEO of almost ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentANZ, banking Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): The smiling assassin returns ...
With the release of the Zero Carbon Bill, Flick CEO Steve O’Connor worries that our zero carbon ambitions will be impeded by an electricity market that’s not working as it should.Right now, we’re sandwiched between two pieces of policy work ...
It’s the biggest question in public art: which of these strolling sculptures would smash the other? Tara Ward plays referee. Who would win in a fight: Boy Walking or Giant Hand? It’s a question that’s perplexed both scientists and statues for ...
The lawyer for a mother of a baby saved last month from a state 'uplift' says an internal inquiry into the affair is 'like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank'. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Marques, Lecturer in Social Psychology, La Trobe University The recent crash of four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome put his attempt for a record-equalling 5th title on hold. (The 2019 ...
Dairy prices have fallen for the third consecutive auction. The average price was down 3.8 percent to $US3208 a tonne. It follows the previous auction's 3.4 percent drop. Prices are now at their lowest in six months after they had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Broe, Senior Principal Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is ageing at a much faster rate than the non-Indigenous population. Aboriginal Australians record high ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Fischetti, Professor, Interim Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Education and Arts; Dean/Head of School of Education, University of Newcastle This essay is part of a series of articles on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Duckworth, Assistant Professor, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia How would you and your neighbours triple the number of households in your street block in order to keep ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leonora Risse, Vice-Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, RMIT University June 19, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of Australia’s industrial relations system endorsing the principle of “equal pay for equal work”. Yet, five decades on, ...
National Party leader Simon Bridges says he thinks the current laws around hate speech are fit for purpose, but the party would defend freedom of speech if necessary. ...
Live: National Party leader Simon Bridges is in RNZ's Wellington studio where he'll be asked about the ACT party's proposal to change laws covering insulting and offensive speech. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Race to be Britain’s next PM takes shape, OIA release raises further GJ Thompson questions, and ministers respond to farming world concerns about trees.We’ll go international this morning, for an update ...
ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias on the one literary masterpiece that always appears in the Whitcoulls Top 100 list of New Zealand’s favourite books. ...
The ACT leader has unveiled his ‘Freedom to Speak Bill’. But the case law makes it clear that the laws he seeks to reform are not the terrifying, freedom crushing beasts he has made them out to be, writes Cameron Walker ...
Statistics New Zealand is planning to track everyone through their cellphones "for statistical purposes":Stats NZ is partnering with cellphone companies to launch a new way of tracking people's movements every hour. The population density programme will launch next month and ...17 hours ago
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Another major oil company has given up exploring in New Zealand: Chevron and Norwegian oil giant Equinor have opted to abandon their joint exploration efforts off the east coast of the North Island. The two firms have applied to surrender ...22 hours ago
NZ has dethroned GDP as a measure of success, but will Ardern’s government be transformational? When you’re in politics, words are a high-stakes game. Voters and journalists hold you to them and there is a risk in using ...1 day ago
A note of appreciation and a changing of the guardFor the past over eight years Skeptical Science staff volunteer Ari Jokimäki has produced a weekly list of links to recent academic publications concerning the fundamental science of climate change, global ...2 days ago
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This morning I had a chat to RNZ’s Morning Report about the ACT Party’s “plan to protect freedom of expression”.read more ...2 days ago
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The world’s oceans are deeply affected by climate change – and vice versa. But until recent years, ocean advocates throughout California had long tackled issues like over-fishing ...2 days ago
There’s so much one could say about Key’s assessment of Hisco right now…
Suffice to say it was definitely the following: A) Perfectly reflective of the ... 3 days ago
. . This morning, a little after 4am, Sharlene lost her brave fight against cancer. Rest in peace, Sharlene. You were always one of my brightest stars… . . Advertisements ...4 days ago
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A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 9 through Sat, June 15, 2019 Editor's Pick Costa Rica Doubled Its Forest Cover In Just 30 Years! Costa ...4 days ago
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Director-General of OPCW Fernando Arias Gonzales admits Douma engineers report was legit and he was part of the FFM – but attempts to justify suppression of the report. France 24 reports that the head of the Organisation for the ...6 days ago
Arundhati Roy is speaking at the Auckland Writers Festival on July 17. In this interview in The Guardian Roy discusses her writing and political activism. Gary Younge: One of the things I’m intrigued by at this moment is the way ...6 days ago
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Daisy Dunne The record-breaking 2018 summer heatwave in Japan in which more than 1,000 people died “could not have happened without human-induced global warming”, a study finds. And the extreme heat felt in ...6 days ago
I've had a bit to say of late about YouTube, its algorithms and the escalating allure of certain facile "creators" to young men. I worry about this stuff. But I think it's also important to acknowledge that the alt-lite and ...7 days ago
Jonathan Bamber, Professor of Physical Geography, University of Bristol and Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Antarctica is further from ...1 week ago
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Josh Gabbatiss Political lobbying in the US that helped block the progress of proposed climate regulation a decade ago led to a social cost of $60bn, according to a new study. Environmental economists Dr ...1 week ago
The Wellbeing Budget opens with, “What is wellbeing?”, a question that has been widely posed and little understood. Treasury says “Wellbeing is when people are able to lead fulfilling lives with purpose, balance and meaning to them.” Long-term challenges facing ...1 week ago
Who would have thought that so many different groups of public sector workers would have discovered at roughly the same time that they have been underpaid and under-resourced to such an extent? No one doubts that teachers of different kinds ...1 week ago
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A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 2 through Sat, June 8, 2019 Editor's Pick White House Tried to Stop Climate Science Testimony, Documents Show Rod ...2 weeks ago
I was interviewed as part of an Al Jazeera documentary on the aftermath of the March 15 terrorist attacks in Christchurch. The program is well worth watching because it addresses subjects that most of the NZ media do not want ...2 weeks ago
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The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, has been in the news over the past year for its proposals to restructure the number and roles of staff managing its collections. Scientists, both local and overseas, voiced their opposition, and ...2 weeks ago
Last month, when the government released its Zero Carbon Bill, I highlighted how it contained an odious expansion of secrecy which throw a veil over practically all decisions made by the Independent Climate Change Commission. I wanted to see how ...2 weeks ago
So, the “Wellbeing Budget” that the New Zealand Government signaled would be a marked shift in the priorities of the country under this Coalition Government has finally come out. What did it tick? What did it steer away from? If ...2 weeks ago
Inland Revenue is to gain greater oversight of land transfer information to ensure those buying and selling properties are complying with tax rules on property speculation. Cabinet has agreed to implement recommendation 99 of the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) final ...2 days ago
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) welcomes the announcement by the Ombudsman to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children’s practices and processes when removing new born children under court ...15 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Third Oranga Tamariki inquiry announced, Herald highlights iniquities in health sector, and significant new claims around Operation Burnham.A third inquiry into Oranga Tamariki has been announced, and this one looks like ...44 mins ago
Christopher Luxon may want to emulate John Key's path to the National Party leadership and the ninth floor of the Beehive. Bernard Hickey argues he will have to be careful to avoid copying Don Brash instead. ...50 mins ago
Treasury used a Newsroom story to remind ministers they couldn't sell Crown land on the cheap for KiwiBuild. ...2 hours ago
A mortar and pestle, a pair of scissors and a cooking pot are among the objects Cambodian refugees have kept with them since resettling in New Zealand.Kim Hak grew up in Cambodia just after the fall of the Khmer Rouge ...2 hours ago
We’ve heard a great deal about the Kiwi response to the Christchurch terror attack but less from inside the event. Historian Ann Beaglehole considers how we support victims to ensure the history is written from their perspectives.When outside forces attack, ...2 hours ago
It is going to be a long journey to rebuild communities where people feel safe after the Christchurch terror attack. But if we commit to working together, it’s possible, former refugee Dennis Maang writes on World Refugee Day. Following the ...3 hours ago
Wahida Zahedi’s love for Christchurch began with a postcard of the Port Hills, sent from almost 14,700km away. This World Refugee Day, she shares her journey from Afghanistan to her new home.Christchurch. How can I describe this magical city? The ...3 hours ago
National is weighing into Auckland Council politics with the launch of a website asking Aucklanders to rate the council's performance. ...3 hours ago
The Detail today looks at belated government action on the Fox River rubbish dump disaster, where three months after the storm, the clean up job is still nowhere near done. ...3 hours ago
Hundreds of military veterans have been receiving financial support without a legal basis, due to an embarrassing error. ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Navjot Bhullar, Associate Professor – Faculty of Medicine and Health; School of Psychology, University of New England You might have noticed that being in nature can improve your mood. Whether it’s walking ...12 hours ago
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Driver, a game whose innovations pioneered some of gaming’s biggest present-day trends. Sam Brooks takes a look at the groundbreaking game’s launch – and the series’ unfortunate decline.The year is 1999. The first Super Smash ...14 hours ago
Farmland is not being gobbled up by forestry, and tree planting is moving the pendulum back after years of deforestation, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. ...15 hours ago
Social media giant Facebook has unveiled plans to launch a new digital currency, called Libra, next year. ...16 hours ago
Last week the Ministry for Children’s practices around uplifting children and putting them in state care were exposed in a harrowing investigation by journalist Melanie Reid. It’s no coincidence Māori are disproportionately targetted, writes Tina Ngata.If you venture into the ...16 hours ago
Waiheke Island’s favourite four-legged activist may soon be taking a road trip to protest the plans for a floating marina at Kennedy Point. Alice Burton reports.Sue Pawley and her sheep Multi have been an unstoppable force ever since the battle ...17 hours ago
Medicinal cannabis company Cannasouth has had a soft sharemarket debut. ...17 hours ago
Women are told that their artistic life ends when motherhood starts. But Anna Knox knows that isn’t the case.I was living in Saudi, trying to finish a novel I had started on the UEA (University of East Anglia) Creative Writing ...17 hours ago
The chief ombudsman will have greater oversight and investigatory powers of Oranga Tamariki when the new legislation comes into force on July 1. ...17 hours ago
IRD is contacting investors to correct their tax rate after an estimated $42 million was overpaid by around 950,000 New Zealanders in the 2019 tax year. ...18 hours ago
Other suburbs have their appeal, but one rises above them all. Hayden Donnell argues Mt Albert is the best place to live in Auckland.First, a terrible confession: I grew up on Auckland’s North Shore. For most of my life, all ...19 hours ago
AliExpo 2019 proved New Zealand’s ‘clean, green’ image remains as strong as ever, reports Jihee Junn. At Alibaba’s e-commerce expo on Friday, ‘brand New Zealand’ was at its sales-pitch best.There were face masks, eye masks, hand creams and serums made ...20 hours ago
The lawyer for a mother of a baby saved last month from a state 'uplift' says an internal inquiry into the affair is 'like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank'. ...22 hours ago
Dairy prices have fallen for the third consecutive auction. The average price was down 3.8 percent to $US3208 a tonne. It follows the previous auction's 3.4 percent drop. Prices are now at their lowest in six months after they had ...24 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Broe, Senior Principal Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is ageing at a much faster rate than the non-Indigenous population. Aboriginal Australians record high ...24 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Fischetti, Professor, Interim Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Education and Arts; Dean/Head of School of Education, University of Newcastle This essay is part of a series of articles on ...24 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Duckworth, Assistant Professor, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia How would you and your neighbours triple the number of households in your street block in order to keep ...24 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leonora Risse, Vice-Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, RMIT University June 19, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of Australia’s industrial relations system endorsing the principle of “equal pay for equal work”. Yet, five decades on, ...24 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ramon Lobato, Senior research fellow, RMIT University Netflix officially entered the Australian market in 2015, and now reaches 50% of Australia’s adult population. Despite its remarkable success, Netflix has been a purely ...24 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Race to be Britain’s next PM takes shape, OIA release raises further GJ Thompson questions, and ministers respond to farming world concerns about trees.We’ll go international this morning, for an update ...1 day ago
A petition is adding to the growing weight of opposition to a proposal to mine fossils for pig food. Will stopping the land sale be enough? ...1 day ago
ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias on the one literary masterpiece that always appears in the Whitcoulls Top 100 list of New Zealand’s favourite books. ...1 day ago
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